


We're Broken, But We'll Try

by OmenOfTheInnovative



Category: The Walking Dead (Telltale Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, I want Vi to be important without using her to make a relationship happen, I will be my own beta because I am supposed to be responsible, It's Slow Burn but for angst, Let her be gay but single, Light Angst, No Plot/Plotless, Prophetic Dreams, Self-Indulgent, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, piggy back rides, sanitarium
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-23
Updated: 2019-04-07
Packaged: 2019-11-26 21:01:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 11,508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18185687
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OmenOfTheInnovative/pseuds/OmenOfTheInnovative
Summary: "Remember that every weed is a flower, just trying to make shit work."Shitposting with style in the form of Ericson's but it's a sanitarium/mental hospital. Everyone's got either a disorder or a disability(This is just me trying to dump all my emotions on Violet again don't mind me)





	1. New Girl Meets Insane World

**Author's Note:**

> Oh yeah, here's another questionable story about Violet because I'm a filthy stan
> 
> Here's what the characters that first appear here struggle with:
> 
> Violet- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Borderline Personality Disorder  
> Ruby- Alzheimer's/Short-term memory loss  
> Louis- Mute, Insomnia

The door swung open to reveal one of the staff members, followed by a girl carrying a suitcase. Ruby sat up and felt the bunk bed above her shift too. "Ah, Ruby, Louis, you're both awake." Harry, the employee's name, droned awkwardly and coughed into his elbow. Used to be a heavy smoker, but he was nicer than the rest.

"This is your new roommate. She's gonna be one of the more permanent residents, judging by the papers they gave me..." Harry flipped through the pages on the clipboard before he gave the new girl a pat on the back, which made her jump violently. "Make yourself at home, and you'll be filled in on stuff in the morning." He said, giving her a smile and leaving the room.

The new kid was a small thing to behold, lanky and looking utterly upset. She brushed away a bit of her blonde hair with the shakiest hands Ruby had ever seen. She reminded the southerner of a fairy- short and timid, standing near the door like she was a robot out of batteries. She then snapped out of her terrified trance and the first thing she did with the suitcase was put it down on the foot of the bunk bed opposite to Ruby and Louis. Then the girl sat down and put her face in her hands like it was the worst day ever.

"Hey hon. Had a rough time?" Ruby tried to break the ice and is almost proud of herself when her unusual new friend peeked up from the cover her hands provided her. "You look like you need this more than I do at the moment. Heads up." She scrambled to catch the pillow that Ruby threw right beside her, but she looked touched at the fact Ruby offered her something. She clutched it to her body immediately.

"What's your name?" Hopefully she'd be open enough to share at least that. When she didn't give an answer, Ruby got a bit worried.

"Not much of a talker, are you?" The forgetful girl asked the newcomer, who was hugging the pillow she just gave her with her already trademark fidgety arms. Louis knocked on the wood above Ruby to get her attention, and signed _Is she mute too?_ from the top of the bunk bed.

The new girl saw his signing. She answered him by signing back _I don't wanna talk. Too loud._ Louis looked bewildered.

_How can you understand me if you aren't like me, new kid?_

_Close friend was mute. Learned it just for her._

With what was apparently a satisfied expression, Louis laid back and out of Ruby's field of vision. He seemed to be having a conversation with the girl, but all Ruby could see were her replies. Things such as _Not right now._ and _It sounds interesting. Can't wait._  came back but she never figured out the context. It went on for a few minutes before the new girl paused as she was signing, then continued her thoughts with _Tired. Hitting the hay._ _Goodnight_.

She promptly laid down facing away from the pair. Ruby either heard her name and forgot it, or she never said it. The southern teen was sure she wouldn't have trouble remembering this kid in the morning. She stuck out very clearly.

She noticed that the new girl was still hugging the pillow she offered, but no matter. She had another one with her at all times. Ruby found it adorable that her roommate cuddled something when she fell asleep.


	2. The One Where They Talk About Flowers For A Moment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay so people are hyped for this fic  
> And I am too, so of course this is out.
> 
> Thus, we got some exposition and Mitch trying to wrestle Violet for a few seconds
> 
> Marlon is mentioned but he'll be introduced later I think.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another big ol' yeehaw for the dysfunctional family! I'm really excited about where this may be going.
> 
> ~A new challenger has appeared!~
> 
> Mitch- Dissociative Identity Disorder
> 
> Anyway so I have no idea about the whole sanitarium also being a school thing. Ericson's is more of a private school for people who can't "function properly" in public schools, or something happened to them where they had to be sent here

The next day was just as eventful for the new girl.

She first woke up to Mitch picking her up out of bed and slinging her over his shoulder like a potato sack, which wasn't very fun. Her surprised squawking was amusing to him; if he didn't know better he'd think she was a bird. He put her down on the ground when they got into the cafeteria.

"Rise and shine, loser. It's 11:30 A.M. and your ass wasn't even _up_ by the time we all got in class." He knelt down and told the new girl, who had the most bewildered face, like she just woke up. (Probably because she did.) She looked around the room at all the students who were just walking into the cafeteria, and then back at Mitch like he just told her the most terrible thing ever.

Thus, her first sentence was spoken in the lunchroom, with her still in the clothes she had on from yesterday, hair completely uncombed like it was nobody's business.

"I... _slept in_?"

"Hell yeah, you're straight up savage, new kid. Slept through your first three classes like you couldn't give a fuck." Mitch answered. He was genuinely impressed by this outsider's seriously fucked up sleeping schedule. "I have to say, I'd do that too if the staff didn't already know me as the kid who tries to skip constantly."

He stopped when the new girl yawned and rubbed her eyes like a little kid. His eyebrows furrowed like that was concerning. "Okay, so I was praising a toddler all along... Eh, you understand me, that's good enough. Come along, new kid." Mitch says.

She held her head for a few seconds and tried to stand up, still sore from where her newest acquaintance had practically body slammed her into the tiles. He stands up too, jerking his head over to a table where her roommates were sitting alongside an assortment of other kids.

Ruby looked up immediately with a bit of a confused look on her face. "Hey, uh... Who's that girl you got there?" She asks, taking another bite of the biscuit she slathered in butter a few moments before. The new girl looked a bit confused. "Really? I was sure this was your new roommate, Rubes. If you don't know her nobody does." The ginger-haired teen immediately remembers. "Oh! Pillow kid! It's really nice to see you again, sweetheart. You rest good?" Ruby asked in a blur of excitement and motherly concern.

She didn't reply quickly, just combed her fingers in her hair and made a slightly pointed look in Mitch's direction. "Best sleep I had in years," she admitted before her expression soured. "Came with a really weird wake-up call too." Ruby beamed with what surely could've been any positive emotion, but nobody could identify what exactly it was.

"You precious thing! I bet you're hungry after somebody basically knocked you out WWE style." She said, motioning to the long table in the front of the cafeteria. "Get whatever you want from there and check back in when you've got a plate." Her southern accent seemed to cheer up the new kid a lot, but she shook her head. _I'm not hungry._ She signed like she didn't want to talk anymore, awkwardly sitting down at the table. Ruby looked disappointed, but didn't press.

"You never mentioned you name to us... either that or I forgot it. Do you mind saying it again so that I can try to commit it to memory?" Ruby asked, her mouth full of food, but she still was able to manage words. ~~As all fictional characters can with food in their mouths.~~

The new girl stared back at Ruby as if she just started to curse her out and was trying to think of worse insults. She looked down shamefully, head now in her hands just like earlier. "It's been awhile." She admits.

"Nice to meet you, 'Been Awhile.'" Mitch jokes. Ruby glares at him to effectively put a stop to his smug expression. "It's okay to take your time." She says reassuringly.

The new kid looked like she was thinking about it, and, without disturbing her blank stare at the table, she whispers, "Violet."

"Violet." Ruby echoes. "Like the flower? Like an African Violet?" She asks, already craving more information. The new girl- _no, Violet. Remember, Ruby._ Violet looks up solemnly. "Uh, not exactly. African Violets aren't true violets. And the flowers are just called violas." She answers. Mitch looks confused as to why they were talking about flowers.

Now Louis seems interested. He leans in from his spot at the table, next to a guy with the most unusual haircut in existence. _Rubies are red, Violets are blue._ He says. _You're the newcomer, tell us about you._

It made Violet smile a little. A small upwards tug at the corners of her lips that was barely noticeable. It was adorable.

"Yeah, spill the beans, What was your family like?" Mitch asks, and immediately her smile gets shattered.

"Um... no thanks." She answered, and Ruby could tell it was sensitive. Violet gets up from the table and turns around before she realized something.

"Can one of you help me get around?" She asked the trio of odd kids. "Why? Did your leg just break or something?" Mitch asked. Ruby glared at him again to shut him up. "No, silly. She's new to this hellhole. She's asking if somebody could guide her." She explained to him. He made a sound of enlightenment and jumped up to his feet. "You can stick with me. And, uh... sorry for upsetting you." He offered.

Violet nodded. "Yeah, that'd be great. Apology accepted." She replied.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here you go. Vague exposition in the form of light angst
> 
> Just a side note- I have no plot for this it's just gonna be a rollercoaster of emotions. I don't even have update schedules
> 
> I'm just as disorganized as everyone in the fic
> 
> Everybody's basically me but multiplied by the Ericson Gang. As in, socially awkward, what the fuck is going on inside their brains, will bake you cookies if you really wanted them to. You get it, right?
> 
> Anyway yeah I'm not funny I'll go back to writing again.


	3. And You Looked At Me, As If I Were Something Worth Looking At

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Mitch drinks his Respecting Women Juice with pride
> 
> It's just Capri-sun don't worry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, Marlon's finally got the balls to show up
> 
> Marlon- Bipolar Disorder
> 
> I decided to pick up my figurative pen once more in the same day for the third installment of this fanfiction
> 
> So, yeah. Dodgeball.
> 
> Mitch is giving me serious "I like this one" vibes right now but I'm just gonna sidestep that since it's only because he's paying massive respects through spamming F in the chat right now

Violet didn't complain during classes, which kinda surprised Mitch because at first she didn't seem to care about it much, but maybe her sleeping in thing was an accident. That'd be... _disappointing_ , but he could also see her being interested the labyrinth called school.

Her voice was soft as she hummed a song Mitch couldn't recognize; she seemed to be doodling in the notebook she had, a little dragon next to all the notes she had taken already. Science was never Mitch's specialty- _maybe I can ask to copy her notes later._

He watched but didn't realize it was obvious that he had his eyes on her. The way she drew up lines was smooth and almost looked like she was drawing with a pen. The kid who called himself Bomb-Voyage was mesmerized.

Eventually the bell rang and he could snap out of whatever clouds his mind decided to spend its time in.

It's not obvious that the next class was gym. Nothing was very obvious in the sanitarium that Mitch called his home. But it was to him, and he was pretty confident in that class.

A tap on his shoulder pulled him back to earth in the locker room. "Yo. I heard there's a new kid." Marlon, his buddy of 6 years, asked as he sat down on the bench space next to him, waiting for Coach Maxwell to dismiss the boys. _(Some people just call him Kenny, he's a chill dude. Apparently his kid went here too. Mitch didn't see him very often.)_

"Yeah. Violet. Got here last night." Mitch answered, scratching the back of his head and stretching to ease the tension in his muscles. Marlon looked interested. "You know her personally?'

"Yeah. Helping her get to her classes." Another question was answered promptly, with a matching disinterest to his tone that he always kept true to. The Coach yelled at the boys in the locker room that it was time to move their asses to the bleachers for class. The pair followed his orders, walking while talking about the subject at hand.

"You like her?"  
"Hell no, I'm too busy drinking my Respecting Women Juice to have a crush."  
"Whatever."  
"You're just mad because I already accepted the total virgin life, bro."  
"You're just mad because I still have hope and a chance to get a girlfriend."  
"- _Or a boyfriend_."  
"Yeah, or a boyfriend."

They made their way to their assigned spots on the bleachers, which Coach King called the Squad Spots. "Alright, students. New kid, don't swamp her with questions. Why don't you introduce yourself, sweetheart?" Mitch buried his head in his hands. "Oh my god, your mom is so mushy. She'll be all over Vi in a matter of minutes."

"Um..." Violet practically leaped from her place on the bleachers, standing in front of the class like it was kindergarten, Marlon's eyes light up. "Yeah. You like her, Mitch. You don't have a choice." He bumps shoulders with his friend before focusing back on the newcomer, a mere mortal in the presence of Marlon, the king of Ericson's.

"...My name is Violet. Uh, I like drawing, and yeah. Hi." The new girl stumbled on her words, she didn't seem too excited about the spotlight randomly put on her. Coach King gave her a wide smile and motioned for her to sit back down. "What a lovely introduction, Violet!" She says. "Okay, so today we're playing dodgeball. The alternative, as always, is sitting down and getting a zero. So who's ready to play?" The coach looked up to see everyone's hand raised. She made a pleasant expression. "Good. Set the balls up and Coach Maxwell will blow the whistle when you're all ready." The middle-aged woman sat back in her swivel chair as she watched her students set up the dodgeballs for the game.

In truth, Violet dodged a lot more than she actually threw. Mitch was a little disheartened to see that she wasn't interested in doing anything more than just the _dodge_ part of _dodgeball_. She gave Mitch a few quick words in ASL before he went to war with Marlon on his side. It was something along the lines of  _Good luck._

That was sweet to tell somebody who threw you onto the ground earlier that day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would fully support it if Violet was like "Yeah dude you can copy my notes just not my homework" to Mitch after he struggles for 20 minutes with the learning material. And he starts crying because he's an overgrown toddler trapped in a tall child's body
> 
> Violet just strikes me as the type to have so many close friends the first week into her new school
> 
> I'm still a filthy stan dear god


	4. How Do I Stop Carrying Everything That Has Ever Happened To Me?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Make new friends, but keep the old
> 
> (Headcanon that Violet was a girl scout, because that line's from a girl scout song)
> 
>  
> 
> In which there's the iconic card game

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mitch's dare is inspired by a horror story that indeed happened to me. I went through with the dare. Not fun.
> 
> Anyway this entire fic is basically dedicated to that one person always in the comment section, so if you pay attention to the mega shitpost down there, you'd know 'em.
> 
> Thanks for liking this random thing I made at like 2 in the morning
> 
> A wild Minerva and a wild Sophie appeared!
> 
> Minnie- Depression  
> Sophie- Mute, Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Back in the dorms, Violet had already collapsed in bed, looking utterly exhausted. With her face covering her hands just like last night, Ruby almost didn't have the heart to tell her that it was dinnertime already. But Louis did. With a tap to the shoulder, a conversation void of words, and a small and quiet groan from Violet _(which was quickly shushed when she covered her mouth like she was afraid of something. Ruby wondered what that was about)_ , the new kid was up and at it again, this time walking down the halls with growing familiarity.

"Okay, so unlike lunch, you can't skip this one." Ruby told Violet, whose eyes were on the ground.

"Even if I'm still not hungry?"  
"There's no way you don't have an appetite after a full day of school, sweetheart."

Violet looked ashamed.

So she had a plastic plate in front of her with a few chicken nuggets on it, nothing else. But it was better than not eating at all, and Ruby let it slide for tonight. She'd have to write a sticky note to remind herself about Violet's lack of food on her plate.

Louis knocked on the surface of the table for attention, holding a stack of cards with a smirk on his face. He set it down and started to sign. _Are we ready, ladies? We're about to play Truth or Dare with a twist!_

Ruby smiled at his theatrical performance, where he tried and failed to do fancy tricks with the cards before properly shuffling them. Marlon, Mitch, and two red-haired girls leaned in, all of the looking ready to play.

"Before the shitstorm ensues, I just wanna introduce you to Minerva and Sophie." Marlon says to Violet, who looks up.

_And then her jaw drops._

"Minnie? Sophie?" She asked, her fists clenching and her knuckles turning whiter than her ghostly face. Minerva gives her a sweet smile and Sophie gives her one too, but it was wider and toothier than her sister's. _We missed you!_ She signs excitedly. _Didn't expect to see you here._

"Yeah, complete surprise." Minerva laughs and waves it off. "If you want, we can catch up later. After they release us back to the dorms." She offers, leaving Violet looking like she just saw the zombie apocalypse flash before her eyes. "Uh," She snaps out of her gaze and turns to Louis, still shocked about the entire ordeal. "Yeah. Sure." She replied to Minnie, but she was giving Lou the _I'm-in-hell-aren't-I_ look. He shrugs and slaps down the deck of cards in the middle of the table. _Alright. Everyone draws a card. The winner is the one with the highest card and the loser in the one with the lowest. The winner asks the loser truth or dare._ He explains. "Oh, doesn't sound too bad." Violet tucks a bit of her hair behind her ear, looking relieved.

Everyone draws a card, just as Louis had described. Violet breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the winner was Marlon, and the loser was Sophie. She picked truth.

"So, you know the new kid?" The rat man asked, giving Sophie a bit of a pointed look as he asked. _Yes, I know her. Both of us know her. She was our best friend since kindergarten._ Sophie replies, her smile never leaving. _Then we were sent here and didn't see her anymore. Until now._

  
"Alright, so you got connections here." Marlon focused on Violet as if he were sizing her up. "Interesting."

Violet managed a nervous smile.

The next round, she won against Mitch. "A'ight. I can live with that. Truth or dare?" He looked annoyed that she would even ask that question. "I always pick dare." He answered, a reckless smile present on his expression.

"Funny." Marlon says. _"How come is it that you usually pick truth?"_ He asks. Mitch gives him the side-eye.

"Whatever. Give me my dare."

Violet scrunched up her nose and thought of the single most disgusting thing she could think of. "Lick the floor." She says. "It'll impress me, if that's your incentive."

"Oh my god. You're crazy." Mitch laughs as he comes to the realization of what he has to do. He leaned down in his seat to the point where his nose was practically touching the floor, and quickly pressed his tongue to it before going back up and sticking it in front of Violet's face. She shoved a napkin in his face as a retaliation. "Go wipe your tongue off, silly." She said, amused by his antics.

"But I did impress you, right?"  
"Whatever helps you sleep at night."

The small group of teenagers had an absolute ball with Violet as their newest family member, enjoying the look on her face when Marlon mentioned there were even more of them. What seemed like hours was probably only thirty minutes as they laughed and played the card game for a while.

However, as soon as Violet was walking down the hallway to her room, the rest of her new friends had to go to an opposite wing. They told her it was for group therapy, and that she'd join when she was settled into her new life. So now she was walking down the halls with Minerva by her side, trying to catch up on the things she missed while her ex-girlfriend was at Ericson's.

"I'll see you tomorrow, maybe?" Violet asked, opening the door to her room and turning back to Minerva. The ginger-haired girl nodded with a smile. "Yeah. You will. I'll raise hell on the school until you see me. No choice about it." She answers.

Violet laughed a little, and just like that she was gone, now barricaded in her room.

**Gone from Minerva's life, again.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hell yeah, angsty
> 
> I like it so far.  
> Yeah, Violet and Minerva are ex-girlfriends. Very big plot point right there.
> 
> Might come into play later, who knows?  
> ;0


	5. Oh, Wow, I'm Posting... Again. (Summer, Take A Break Damn)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "They say those who fly the highest fall the farthest, but we cannot forget those who never flap their wings, who never fly at all."
> 
> Violet needs more than just some warm milk to get her to sleep

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was written in sorta quick succession to the fourth chapter, because I'm very motivated by absolutely nothing besides compliments about the previous chapters and I kinda have a smug cat face saying "Yes feed me more."
> 
> My brain is kinda melty and I've got school? Nah, fuck it, I'll go feral.
> 
> Jk I'll go do healthier things after this is posted.

"Hey, are you awake?" Violet softly asked either of her roommates, she didn't care which one would answer. She couldn't sleep, for multiple reasons, but the main one was because she just saw the person she thought had committed suicide, after what? Six years?

**Six years of believing her ex-girlfriend was dead.**

Violet's body was telling her to cry at this information.

And her brain was still racing faster than a _NASCAR_ vehicle.

"Hon, what are you doing up at this time of night?" Ruby's soft country accent sent a flood of tears in Violet's eyes. In the dim light of the alarm clock on the nightstand she could see Ruby rubbing her eyes a little and trying to get used to seeing in the dark. She sat up in her bed and slowly made her way over to her roommate. Violet made no sound; Ruby recognized that it was years of practice that built up her silent manner.

"Can't sleep." She whispers, reaching out to awkwardly touch Ruby's face. She almost flinched when Ruby placed her hand on top of hers. "Do you feel like you need to take something to feel better? Or is just talking it through okay?"

In the dark, Violet looks shocked that even had a choice. "I just wanna talk about it." She says, shifting around and sitting next to Ruby at the foot of her bed. "Alright. Go ahead... you want me to listen or talk with you?" The southern girl pressed.

"I guess we can talk about it a little."  
"K', hon, fire away."

Violet took a deep breath. "Okay... uh, Minerva. You know her." She said nervously. Ruby nodded again. "Yeah, I believe I know her. She used to know you?" She let the new kid squeeze her hand tightly, even if she wasn't aware she was doing it. "Yeah. I thought she was dead for six years."

"Six years? Sweetheart... that must've been horrible."  
"The pain was dull after the first few months."  
"Was that why you were so unsure about her earlier?"  
"...Yeah. I guess it was."

Ruby clasped both of her hands over Violet's colder ones. "Violet, I'm so sorry. I don't know what to say about this." She rubbed her thumbs over the bony pale knuckles that could've easily been mistaken for a skeleton's if she didn't know better. The blonde teenager seemed more upset than before at that response. "I don't know what to say either." She breathed, scooting in closer to Ruby.

Without a word the forgetful teen was caught up in embracing Violet. Even she didn't know how she got there, patting her newfound friend on the back, lightly scratching when she felt like it, rubbing her back in other moments. "It's gonna be okay, hon. Minnie's here now, you can make as many amends as you would like to make with her."

Violet said nothing for a long time, and Ruby would've assumed she fell asleep if she didn't speak up after the solid silence had settled in for a while. "Ruby?" She asked, voice muffled by the old fabric of Ruby's pajamas.

"Yeah, sweetie?"

Complete silence.

"Vi, did you fall alse-?"  
"I just feel like it was my fault for not being enough for her. She probably broke up with me for a reason, y'know?"

Ruby fell silent after that, thinking for a good while. Not about what Violet just implied, but what she told her.

"Hon, you are enough." Ruby pulled out of the hug and put her hands on Violet's cheeks. "You have always been enough. If you ever think you're not, you were just loving the wrong person all along." She reassures her, squishing her cheeks jokingly. "So get out of your sad spell and catch some Z's, okay?"

When Vi nodded, it made her heart burst. "Alright, go to bed, Vi. I'll see you in the morning."

And Violet seemed to be refusing to let go of her.

"Violet, what in tarnation? You plan to hang off of me like a sloth?" Ruby joked with a wide smile. "Or do you just wanna sleep in my bed for the night?"

"I, uh..." _Oh my god. **She's absolutely precious**_ **.** "Yeah." Violet answered, her volume low like she was embarrassed about it.

As another joke Ruby flopped onto the bed. "Fine. Crash with me tonight." She said, still surprised as Violet was still holding onto her clothes. "Get comfy. I don't care. I'm a big teddy bear anyways. So... goodnight" She adds.

Violet watched tentatively. "Goodnight." She replied.

Ruby guessed that she slept well that night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I need momma Ruby to bond with the affection-starved child please.
> 
> Please that's the only way my crops will become watered and skin will be cleared
> 
> I really wanted to write that scene out and I'm proud of myself, so!!! Now for healthy things like sleep!!!


	6. And The Things Thought To Be Eternal Are Crumbling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A silver figure delivers an important message in the last moments before the flames
> 
> (Which sounds spooky but I promise it's just more shitposting)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A chapter in preparation for 404.
> 
> I'm scared.
> 
> Have something that's at first a huge wtf and then is an even bigger wtf after that

Next thing Violet knew she was sitting under a dead tree, crows and other neutral-colored birds sitting on the branches and wiggling their little bodies around as if they were talking to each other.

When she listened into their conversations she heard static. And she stood up.

In the distance, there was music. A piano. She glanced back at the birds on the tree. They stared back, beady eyes trained on her, maybe even glimpsing into her soul, before realizing it's shattered.

Violet had no urge to feel scared. The thought of emotions didn't interest her at all. She turned her back to the tree just in time to miss it withering away, the birds dropping to the ground and becoming flowers.

Things fell from the sky haphazardly around Violet as she followed the music closely, sprouting the flowers of her namesake when she walked past. Even when a fire-like glow streaked past her sights she didn't stop. Just kept walking up the dull green hill.

The ground behind her started to go up in flames, an orange glow staining what is becoming colorless. Violet couldn't feel sorry for the trench she just dug herself out of.

There they were. The person playing the piano. Their body was shining with silver light, as if they were made from the sun itself. They were pressing the keys in quick succession, one after another, their ominous tune enchanting Violet. She drew in closer to listen.

The stopped playing as soon as they noticed an unexpected guest. Or perhaps an expected one. Their body swiveled in her direction, hands now in their lap, a cherry smile on their blurry face. **"You found family. A new one."** They praised her, motioning her to stand up. Their voice was soft and warm, with sharp pronunciation in family. Violet unknowingly started to cry. The mystery person sounded just like a mixture of her mother, grandfather, and grandmother.

"A new family?" She echoed, already out of things to say. The person held out their arms as if it were an answer. Violet let herself get caught in the trap of affection.

 **"Listen, Violet."** The person said softly, and though Violet couldn't see their face she knew that fire reflected from their glassy eyes. **"This new place is going to protect you when you start to bleed."** They continued solemnly. **"They are going to protect you from the poison threatening you, the snake sliding closer."**

Violet listened quietly, unsure of what to make of it. "I understand." She replied blankly.

Red flared up in her vision and she found herself just waking up in Ruby's bed, with the aforementioned girl nowhere to be found.

She heard a piano somewhere distant. Getting up was now stirring up all kinds of emotions, like confusion, fascination, and the unsettled thing that was making her stomach drop every time she wondered back to it.

Violet wasn't really scared, just curious about the silver figure and what it had said.

_This family is gonna be the one to protect me?_

She scavenged some clothes from her suitcase and roamed the halls for the shower rooms, skin still unnaturally hot from whatever it was she had been dreaming about.

_I guess I'm putting my faith in people again, even though it went kerplunk the last time._

Violet might have felt disturbed by her dream, but that thought put her at ease.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let my baby live, devs
> 
> I know that this chapter isn't really much but like,,, I need sleep, my inspiration is kinda growing legs and walking away right now. Expect a small hiatus on this fic and I'll try to go ahead and update that other edgy fanfiction
> 
> Do know that I'll be watching 404 tomorrow, a new chapter might not come out. But either way, I still have semi-big plans for later chapters, and a reason why the silver figure sounded a bit like Violet's mum ;)
> 
> Thus, the tags about how dark this is gonna be are fulfilled


	7. I'm Gonna Kick Somebody In The Ass... But With Kindness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The one where Violet and Ruby get some more bonding time and Ruby is completely blown away by all that is Vi

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think this chapter is just a little bit longer than what I'm used to, I appreciate everyone's patience with me getting back into this after 404.
> 
> But...  
> Really bad opinion... I wanted a bad ending for Clem. Like, she could've been gone for good.  
> But please don't @ me I still don't know how to feel about that episode
> 
> Three new kids have gotten on board!  
> Clementine- Dementia  
> AJ- Misophonia  
> Tennessee- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

With her hair wet from the warm shower and a new change of clothes on, Violet walked out of the shower rooms just shy of content. She still didn't see anybody in the hallways- _Maybe there was an event I didn't hear about. That's okay. I'd rather go back to sleep._

The melody from the piano she heard back in her dream wasn't budging from its stronghold in the back of her mind, as much as Violet tried to get rid of it. She laid down on her bed and thought about it for a little while. She didn't mind her soppy hair soaking the pillow; she could always turn it over for a little while. She didn't close her eyes immediately, instead opting to stare blankly at the morning sunshine that filtered through the blinds.

"Damn, dunno how the sun does it, keeping a consistent schedule and all." Her rasp was to nobody but the emptiness in the room and the slight loneliness in her heart. Violet didn't really wanna be alone right now.

"Maybe because it's a celestial body and not a real person." Ruby's voice startled Violet into sitting up. Catching sight of the widest eyes she's seen so far in her life (Or maybe that's just her memory playing tricks on her), she immediately felt bad for not announcing her presence. "Hey, hon, everyone's in the main hall. Y'know, lunch room? We have free time on the weekends." She tells Vi and smiles. "You strike me as the type of person that likes to draw. Why not get to see and know some new people?"

"I, uh... alright." Violet slipped off the bed and put her shoes back on, slightly disappointed she wasn't allowed to get a little more sleep. After she accidentally skipped her first day of school in this place because of her unhealthy staying-up schemes, she guessed she just couldn't control a flood when there's cracks in the wall. Her worn down riding boots clicked across the floor for a few seconds while she rubbed her eyes. Ruby noticed she stopped making noise after that.

"Y'know, it's kinda odd." The girls made it out to the hallway and to the main hall, where free time would be held for the day. "You naturally make noise when you walk, and yet it's like you trained yourself not to. What's up with that, if you don't mind answering?" Ruby's eyes stared deeply into Violet's. She remembered that they were a lovely shade of green. Vi looked away awkwardly, not saying anything.

The redhead sighed. _Bad question, I'll have to write that down._ "It's okay, hon. We've all got things we do and we don't like where they stemmed from." She said, looking forward in embarrassment. "If you want, I can tell you about something I do... if I can remember anything that I do." Ruby offers. She still wants to talk to the kid that only just got here a few days ago.

Violet pouts a little, her eyebrows knit together like she was thinking hard about it. "Uh, I don't know about that." She replies worriedly. Ruby gives her a laugh and nudges her shoulder, which almost completely knocks the blonde teen off balance. "Hey, I don't mind. I'll forget that I said anything in the next five minutes, and then I'll also forget that I wanted to get to know you a little better." Another laugh. "So far I can only remember that you're a girl, you like chicken nuggets, and even I could throw you across the room judging by your size."

Upon that reply Violet didn't seem to know what to say. Ruby was afraid she went too far.

Then Violet started to laugh. _Holy shit._ She bit down on her bottom lip to lessen the noise level, but her nose wrinkled in amusement and her face lit up brighter than any shooting star Ruby had ever seen. And that was _fucking adorable._

"I guess I am pretty easy to throw, huh?" Vi asked, a peaceful smile on her face. Ruby nodded. "I guess you would be." A devious smile started to paint her face. "Wanna find out whether that's true or not?" She asked, holding out her arms almost as if she were asking for a hug. Her friend looked unsure for a split second. "Uh..." She started to comb her fingers through her hair, making it even more messy than it used to be. "I don't know if you're gonna drop me or not." She whispers shyly. Ruby choked out the most surprised noise she might've ever made to date.

"Drop you? Sweetheart, I'd never drop you. I promise." The southern girl held out her littlest finger, as if she were making a deal. "I pinkie swear I won't." Violet looked at the gesture for a second before shaking on it. "T-thank you." Absolute relief and soft joy spread across her features. Ruby was still surprised that she was even sent here in the first place. From what she's learned so far, Vi was an angel walking on earth.

"Alright, buckle down. I'm giving you a piggy back ride." Ruby told her friend, who seemed a little surprised at the statement. "Oh..." Violet folded her hands together politely. "I uh, thank you. I..." Her head turned to the side as she searched for the right words. "I've never gotten a piggy back ride before." She admits, tucking a piece of her hair behind her ear, looking a little ashamed about it.

"Well, I'm honored to be your first noble steed." Ruby answers and prompts for Violet to climb on. She barely felt a weight on her back, but she _did_ notice the head resting on her shoulder. The forgetful teen laughed. "Oh, hon... where was your childhood when you needed it?" She asked, walking down the hall with somebody just a little taller than her on board.

It didn't last long enough for Vi to sneak in a nap, but she still seemed sleepy when they got to their destination- the main hall. Ruby scanned the place once; Louis, Sophie, and Marlon were part of one group, Willy, Mitch, AJ, and Clementine in another. Minerva and Tennessee were grouped up together, looking like they were drawing. "Alright. I'm putting you down, darlin'. Get ready." She announced to Violet, who made a noise of slight disappointment and got down from Ruby's back. "You're comfy." She says and slowly starts walking around to regain feeling in her legs.

"Sorry for not letting you get your beauty sleep, but I still stand by my statement that you like drawing, so, why don't we go over to the art table?" Ruby offered, interested to see how Vi would take it. The blonde girl took one good look at who was already there and heaved a sigh. "I, uh... sure, why not." She said, making her way over there with Ruby.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank y'all for sticking around. I sure hope Minerva isn't as mean in this fic as she is in 403... cause holy shit, if she is...
> 
> Whoops, I have a new idea


	8. That's Just The Shell Of The Person I Used To Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A scene that's so dark you'll need a torch to see again, and even then it's still hard to see
> 
> I recommend skipping this entire chapter if you're sensitive to:
> 
> -Actions being just shy of sexual assault  
> -Suicide  
> -Pedophilia  
> -The asshole brother Violet had named John

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, this one is a little worse and maybe a little longer than normal, but hey, we get my own interpretation of Mitch and Violet's pasts, and...  
> It's not pretty. They were sent to a sanitarium for a reason
> 
> If you don't enjoy dark stuff I don't think you should be reading this chapter, but go off I guess. I'm warning you right now.
> 
> This is also somewhat based on my own personal experiences with love, but mostly not

"Violet, look at me." Minerva spat, fixing her grip on Violet's chin and baring her teeth. "I don't _care_ about the fact we've been separated for six whole fucking years, you're still my girlfriend." Her harsh words made Vi flinch horribly."Now you're here. Now we can rebuild the love we once had. Now we're together again. Forever, this time." Her cheerful tone and hand snatching up the skinny wrist that belonged to Violet sent her blonde-haired associate into a panic.

"Minerva, I thought you were dead." She yanked her wrist out of the taller girl's hand.

"I thought that John pushed you to the edge and you trudged to the bathroom to slit your wrists." Her voice was cold, she looked utterly pissed. "I thought for six years that you were fucking dead, and that I had to get over you." Violet put a hand to her temple. "And now that I'm here it's not going to rekindle anything." Her voice wavered, her back leaning against the wall. She was practically daring Minerva to try her. "Minerva, I know that you never liked me being romantically cold, but it's not like I love you anymore."

Her ex-girlfriend didn't say anything for a few minutes. She just stared at her blankly.

And then her face contorted into one of disgust and anger. She slammed her fist against the wall, right next to Violet's face. "YOU FUCKING DARE SPEAK TO ME LIKE THAT?" She yelled. "I WAS WORRIED ABOUT YOU TOO! _FOR OVER JUST A FEW MONTHS, MIGHT I ADD!"_ Vi was doing her best to keep a straight face. _Keep breathing, be strong, and she'll calm down._

"Minnie, of course you were worried for longer than I was. You never replied to my letters after you told me you were done with the world. That was a very clear indication for me as to what you had done. I'm more shocked you're even alive right now." Violet answered her screaming former lover, her expression becoming more distressed by the second. Minerva turned to her with fire in her eyes.

"DON'T YOU TRY TO JUSTIFY YOUR SELFISHNESS!" She shouted to Violet, drawing closer with what was starting to become a smile at her ex lover's sheepish behavior. The blonde teen backed up slowly, back into the wall that she had been leaning against a few seconds ago. "However," Minerva started to seem delighted at what she was thinking right now. "I can make you see that you still love me. You just forgot how good it feels to melt at my touch." Her pupils were dangerously small. Violet bit the bottom of her lip. "Minnie, I swear to god, if you touch me..." She paused, fiercely glaring up at the ginger-haired girl like it wasn't obvious she was 10' taller than Vi.

Minerva had a triumphant look on her face. "If I touch you, you'll like it?" She leans in closer to Violet, ready to give her a kiss. The latter slips out from between the wall and her ex, frowning. "Minerva, I'm still a minor. You're a fucking adult, still in this goddamn school for hell knows what. And I learned my lesson from being the dumb blonde I used to be back in first grade." She told Minnie. "So if you even dare to fucking touch me in any way I don't like, I can and _will_ call the cops on you." Violet walked away with those words intended to be her last to Minerva. She wasn't really angry, but _wow,_ her ex girlfriend definitely changed. A lot.

Violet reflected on what she had said. It was aggressive. It was mean. She regretted saying it, but if she didn't, who knows what would've happened in that dorm room? Some poor kid was gonna go to sleep in there not knowing it could've been the scene of something really bad.

She passed by everyone on her way to her dorm, ignoring the concerned stares they gave her as she left their questions unanswered. Violet walked down the halls, thinking about how Ruby asked her why she was so quiet when she walked. She thought about how scared she had been, having her first piggy back ride. She remembers catching up with Minerva as well. There was already so many memories in this hallway and she's barely been here for two days. When she gets to her room she feels nothing of it.

Collapsing on the bed was the best course of action, she believed. Then she heard somebody make a noise of acknowledgment. She turned to meet whoever it was head-on, but was surprised to see Mitch.

"I know you wanna go to sleep, but just trust me when I say you can't. Not yet." He told her, casually sharpening a knife in his hands. "Judging by how early you are, you made Minerva mad." Mitch leans back and stares at the sunset in between the blinds; he must've opened them up during his wait.

"So, why are you in here?" Violet asked, sleepily rubbing her eyes again. "I already told her that if she laid a hand on me I'd report it." She was beyond tempted to ignore Mitch's request and go to sleep.

The brunet looked up and offered a smile. "I don't like taking chances, and it seems like I shouldn't want to take the chance when it comes to your safety." He paused and met Violet's gaze. "Besides, talking to you is better than doing my homework." Mitch added, taking out a sheet of paper that seemed to be riddled with writing all over it. "So I came up with a few questions we could ask each other, over a card game or whatever." He continued, seeming to look forward to the game. "As long as you don't make me lick the floor again, we're good for the night. Deal?"

"Deal."

Mitch kept the knife on the side of the bed and fished out one of the standard decks of cards Louis supposedly kept in his nightstand in case anyone was in an entertainment emergency. Violet sat down on the floorboards in front of him, not sure how to feel about playing a game right after a fight. But she was grateful that Mitch decided that spending time with her was worth it.

"So, what type of card game are we playing?" Vi asked, tucking some of her hair behind her ear. Mitch thought for a moment before giving her a warm smile. "What kind of card game would you like to play?" He shot back, then quickly added, "Not Truth or Dare, by the way. We already went through that." Violet's expression was one of surprise. "Uh... War, I guess." She answered. "Totally not because it's the only proper card game I know how to play."

"Alright, how about this?" Mitch starts dealing the cards with ease. "Whenever one of us wins, we ask a question. It can come from the paper I've got right here or from your own curiosity, it doesn't matter. The loser has to answer, but if we get a tie, before we start whatever that thing we're supposed to do is, we both gotta answer the question." He lays down the rules and Violet doesn't mind picking them up. "It sounds interesting. I'm in." She says, making sure her cards are in a neat pile.

They start immediately, and right off the bat Violet has lost. Mitch takes her five of clubs and his queen of spades into his discard pile with a smug face. "Okay, first order of business... I wanna know what your favorite color is." He says, glancing at the sheet of paper beside him. "I don't really know, I'm guessing purple." Violet scratches the back of her head and laughs a little at that. "I guess that's why my name is Violet."

"Wouldn't have guessed."  
"You're right, you wouldn't have."

Again they draw their cards, set them down, and Violet has lost for the second time. Another low number. "Damn, I'm guessing you're cheating." The blonde says as a joke, but Mitch passes the paper to her seriously. "Then ask me a question too." He says. "But now I'd like to know your favorite animal."

"Mmm, easy. Birds, cats, chinchillas, basically anything small and well-known that I can potentially create an army of." Violet leans back on the sideboard of her bed. "Do you have anything subjects in school that you like in particular?" She asks, handing the paper back to Mitch while he nods. "Love the shit outta gym. Damn good time out there on the field." He answers, then sets down a card from his playing deck. Violet leans back in to play her own card. "What's your favorite part of gym?" She asks. Mitch made a tutting sound. "Only one question answered per victory... or losing streak." He said.

When Violet put down an ace of hearts against his ten of clubs, she looked back up expectantly. "Well, jock boy?" She asked. "What's your favorite part of gym?"

Mitch chuckles at his luck and gives in. "I used to love weight lifting. Now I just do push-ups all the time." He admits, a look of nostalgia in his eye. "Hm, so you could drop right now and give me 20?" Violet pressed. Mitch gives a dramatic sigh. "What did I _just_ tell you about one question per victory?" He asked like she had just forgotten the meaning of life. "Just you watch. I'm gonna win all these games." Violet says. "Those first two were just warm-ups."

"Whatever you say, princess."  
"Princess? I don't know who you're talking to. I'd rather be called Violet The Almighty, or just Violet. But not princess."  
"Alrighty, your majesty."  
"Better, but still not my actual name."

Mitch rolls his eyes and lets Violet take the spoils she earned.

It was well past their bedtime when Mitch's paper full of question ideas ran out of, well, ideas. So when they had a tie they seemed to have to improvise their own question. Mitch looked up at Violet and gave her the most regretful look in existence. "This is all I can think of, but... what was your life like before you came here? Apologies in advance, I could go first if you'd like me to." He halfway-rambled before pausing to evaluate the blonde's expression. She didn't seem to mind.

"Please tell me if you don't wanna answer it or anything. I don't wanna force you into sharing information with me." Mitch reminded Violet. She still didn't seem to mind; her expression looked like she was pondering more than she was bothered. "Okay." She said, "If you're really ready to tell me about your life, I'll tell you mine."

"Ah, okay." Mitch pressed his lips together to collect his thoughts and memories. "Okay, so, I lived with my dad out in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by all of this farmland that just seemed to go on miles when I was about half of your height." He starts, then takes a deep breath for his life story.

"My mom had passed away when I was somewhere around three years old, and given that my dad was a war veteran, he didn't have a lot of education to go out to the town and find a job worth a high enough pay. So, he decided to settle as a farmer and start growing crops for both income and food. He home-schooled me, thought I'd be the greatest at taking over the farm and having a more successful family than the one I grew up in. And then I started taking an interest in all these cool little devices he would make out of plant fertilizer and methane. Turns out he was making homemade bombs to keep our house safe from thieves and shit. I didn't understand what they were back when he started making them. I was probably seven or eight when I picked one up in my own hands and asked my father to teach me how to make 'em."

"So, with my father wanting me to be able to protect the farm when I'm older, he told me that I could help him make some from time to time. And so I did. Coolest bombs for miles... they were also the only bombs for miles, but that doesn't really matter when I say they were the coolest. Anyway, so here I am, chilling with my dad, when suddenly I spot some matches. Keep in mind, I was 9, barely knew what those suckers could do. My dad showed me how to use them and set off the bombs we made. He also taught me to make sure the match was burned out before leaving it on the ground, in case it was still hot and could start a fire. So, obviously, as a bomb-maker at nine years old, I had a lot of self confidence. There was only one time I didn't properly snub out a match... and it set all the fields on fire - and the house, while my dad was inside and I was chopping wood outside."

"So, lesson learned, don't ever leave something that had been lit on fire out of your sight until you've made sure it wouldn't burn down anything." Mitch yawned and stretched lazily. "I mean, yeah, sometimes I miss my parents, but since this was the only 'orphanage' they had in such a large area, they just stuck me here. And sometimes I still can hear my parents talking to each other. About stuff, I dunno what kind of stuff, but they've given me a lot of confidence in myself. So I can accept those mistakes I made when I was nine and get over them."

Violet listened thoroughly. It was obvious she had listened to every single thing Mitch just said. "It sounds like you've learned from those mistakes." She told Mitch, who nods. "I hope you don't mind me pressing, but, well, now it's your turn. What was your life like before this sanitarium?" He inquired curiously. Vi ponders it, and crossed her legs to begin.

"My family wasn't the best of families, but I had a mother, father, and a brother who was older by about eleven or twelve years, John. We lived in a trailer somewhere in Texas before moving here. My mother loved John, always told me she wanted me to be a little bit more like him. But, the thing was, when she wasn't around, my brother was a complete monster. He'd try to beat me up when he could find me, usually tried to embarrass me in front of Minnie and Sophie. They're both a lot older than I am, so they weren't very easily convinced. That and the fact that John was a bit of an asshole."

"So, one day, I was in first grade, my brother was looking through my art binder and found this little scrap of paper Minnie had written her phone number on. I wasn't just mad because he had been snooping around in my stuff, he also had this look on his face like he was about to do something horrible. So he dialed the number and asked the person who picked up if 'he was my boyfriend.' Minerva told him no; she was very obviously my girlfriend. He looked like he was gonna have a stroke. He picked me up and, to put it nicely, threw me across the room. Shouted all these slurs, told me I should go to hell, then he picked up his phone again and told Minerva that she was a filthy sinner, and that she should kill herself. I was mortified that he would say something like that."

Violet paused, chewing on her bottom lip.

"I thought that Minnie went through with what John had told her. She hung up and I never saw her after that. Everyone told me her family had moved to another state. Our mother found out he had made a girl in fifth grade commit suicide and was furious. She chewed both of us out and told me this was why I should never be into girls ever again. My parents sent me to conversion therapy for a while, about a year after it happened."

"So I kinda went through hell for the next six years. I was visiting my grandmother a lot before she committed suicide because of my grandfather's passing. After that I was forced to move here at the age of 9. Went to a new school where everyone kept on calling me Trailer Trash. John turned 18 and wasn't even grateful that our parents were able to afford his college tuition, let alone nice to them after the whole ordeal six years ago. My mother mentioned once that he might've broken into her bank accounts and left us struggling. I stayed quiet, but I wasn't blind. I knew that my brother made our life worse. I don't even think he finished a semester before being kicked out for sneaking in drugs, or doing something else that was just as illegal. So that was my life until now."

"Three days ago, I was sitting at the dinner table drawing when my mother suddenly went up to me, hugged me, kissed me on the forehead, and told me how wrong she was for liking John more than me. She started to ramble about how much nicer I was and how she was wrong to loathe me for my sexuality. And I started to cry with her. Then she ruffled my hair and disappeared to her bedroom. I was shocked, but I continued drawing. I remember being so happy about how she finally forgave me for something John had did. Ten minutes later, I heard a loud bang come from her room."

"So I hurried over there, a pit in my stomach as I opened the door to see my mother with her head blown off. She had a sawed off shotgun to where her chin was supposed to be, blood splattering the wall behind her like it was art. I didn't know what to do, I-I just stood there, with what I hoped was an expression of shock, leaning against the doorway and feeling nothing. I slid down the doorway and sat there, just watching. I think it was three hours later when my father returned home from the bar and drunkenly stumbled into the bedroom to see what I was staring at. He looked just as terrified as I thought I felt."

Violet swallowed and focused her attention to the stack of cards she had been dealt, her face giving away nothing about recounting the experience. Mitch leaned in like her voice had suddenly got quiet. "Wait, you said you were in first grade the last time you saw Minerva, and she was in fifth? If I can do the math correctly, that means you're now somewhere around thirteen or fourteen? And she's eighteen-ish?" He asked, his concern growing. Vi nodded and he choked on nothing.

 _"Oh my god."_  
"Yeah. I thought the same thing later in life."  
"So you ended up dating somebody with around a four year age gap... that's..."  
"That's not my fault. I didn't know better."  
"And she came up to you first?"  
"Yeah."

Mitch looked angry. "Okay, that's fucked up." He said. "And that's why Minerva never told us about you." He pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm sorry for making you open up about that... that's just... I can't even put it into words." He took the playing cards and put them back into one deck. "I, uh... I'll have to talk to Minerva about this." He said, standing up. Violet also stood up too. "It's not her fault either, Mitch. Neither of us knew what pedophilia was back then." She hastily defended her ex. Mitch's expression was giving away how pissed he was, and he was super pissed. "I'm going to confront her about it anyway, Vi. _Please,_ stay in your room and get some sleep. I'll be back to watch over you in a little while."

With that, Mitch handed Violet the knife he had been sharpening and walked out of the room, leaving his classmate alone with wide eyes and her body panicking.

_Shit._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was hungry and ate crackers but now I'm just sad, y'all
> 
> Thank you for making it this far. I might get another chapter out sooner than I think, but for now I'm gonna have to leave at this or else it'll get choppier
> 
> But the tags for the dark themes thing is kinda fulfilled, so hooray? I guess?


	9. I Wanted To Thank You For The Flowers Of Sadness You Planted Inside Of Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mitch, the ultimate defender of lesbians, is gonna help Violet learn that not every bad thing is her fault
> 
> (It just seems like he has a crush on her, I assure you it's just Puritan mentality that makes us think that way. There can indeed be a dude and a gal who are this close of friends.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one's shorter, whoops
> 
> Mitch: Not crushing on Violet but supports her all the way  
> Violet: Very grateful and set to recovering thanks to his help
> 
> I want them to have best friend moments

Mitch was there the next morning.

He heard Violet jolt from his unannounced presence, but he chalked it up to overactive senses. Now that he knew the reason she was here, he could connect the dots. "Holy shit." Violet collapsed back into bed, pulling the sheets over her head. "I thought you were Minnie for a second." She told the person keeping watch of her.

"How did you mistaken me for Minerva?" Mitch's fingertips lightly pressed against the bruise on his cheek before going back to reading. Violet might not have known him for long but she knew it wasn't like him to have a book in his hands. "Well," She got out of bed and started to stand up. "You both are tall and kinda scary." Mitch laughed at Vi's response. Her footsteps were muffled by the socks she didn't bother to take off last night as she walked up to Mitch and took his face into her hands. "Hey, I see that bruise."

The brunet looked down in almost-shame. "Yeah, I got into a fight with Minnie. Not even gonna lie to you." He admitted. "I'm also gonna be honest when I say it was my fault for starting it." Violet lightly traced the bruise he earned from his tussle with her ex. She quietly cursed under her breath. "I was fine with you standing up to her, but not with fighting her, Mitch. And I feel even more like an asshole because I know you were trying to fight for me."

"Violet," Mitch put his hands on her and put them together in between both of them, his now over hers. "I know from the way you acted last night that you could never be an asshole. But people have been stacking blames on you since you were in first grade, and that's fucked up, because now all you can do is tell everyone it's your fault... when it's very clearly not." He told Violet, the tone of his voice sincere. "I'm gonna help you realize that not every bad thing happens because you made it happen. I promise." He squeezed his hands together with hers reassuringly. All Vi could do was laugh and look at him in amazement. "You're so different today." She noted. Mitch looked pleased at her cheery attitude. "You're acting different today too."

The position they held went on for a few moments before Mitch stood up and closed the textbook he had been reading.

"Alright. I'm putting this up in the library. Are you comfortable staying here or nah?" He asks. Violet's expression lights up. _"Library?"_ She asks. Mitch nods. "Yeah. It's one of the only places I haven't showed you yet."

"I'm going with you."  
"I knew you were going the second I said library."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Great! Now I need them to hug and be best friends
> 
>  
> 
> Okay, important note! The reason why Mitch is so friendly towards Violet is because of many things
> 
> \- He never interacted with girls until he turned 10 years old. He doesn't even remember his mom all that much  
> \- Though his dad gave him a somewhat loving environment to grow up in, it's not like they were the hugging type of family. Mitch is v v touch-starved  
> \- Also, he's come to realize that masculinity Sucks with a capital S. He can be as nice as he likes to be to a lady, none of this nice guy crap
> 
> So, if I ever have to say this again, I'm gonna write a full-on essay about why they don't like each other, and are just really really close friends
> 
> Thank you for your time, and thank you for reading the chapter


	10. You're Not A Burden, But That Kind Of Intrusive Thought Is

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Violet attends group therapy
> 
> (I'm pretty sure this section is gonna be in two parts.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The first mentioned background character from TFS is now on the battlefield!
> 
> Erin- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
> 
>  
> 
> Fun fact for y'all: I originally also wanted Violet to have Schizophrenia but then I decided BPD and PTSD was enough for my poor baby. For this branch of the au she instead dreams of the people she has lost, sorta like how Clem dreamed of Lee back in 403

_Ah, yes, the library. Filled with books, the heaven all nerds and book-worms go to when they die... also musty as hell._

Mitch could probably swipe his finger across one of the bookcovers and it'd become gray with dust. He simply settled for putting his textbook away, with his mind trying not to race through everything he learned in that boring-ass book about flowers. He was a little disappointed he couldn't find anything about violets.

By the time he got to the desk in the center of book mania to reunite with Violet she was hunched over one of those cursed things herself, flipping a page just as he approached. When Mitch wedged his finger between the pages she jumped violently. The brunet shits you not that it was _at least_ six feet into the air. "Shit. Sorry." She apologized and closed the book. (Mitch could notice she still had her thumb between the pages she was on. It looked like she found something to read already.)

_"_ I, uh... I-I can put this back." She starts to head in the fictional section before Mitch clears his throat. "The library lets you check out books you'd like to read, Violet." He reminds her. "Which would include the attention trap in your hands."

Violet looked unsure about the current situation, and if that wasn't so relatable Mitch would've offered that she joined the group therapy session in the afternoon. (He's pretty sure she has to go anyway.)

The brunet spots one of the cheesy bookmarks in the bin on one of the tables, the ones with the little puns on them, snatches one ~~like it was a weave,~~ and offers it to his friend. "So you don't lose your page. Losing the page always sucks." He explains, biting down on the inside of his cheek. He almost sighs in relief when Violet took it and gave him a grin.

"Thank you so much."  
"Hey, it's no problem. I could've thrown that at you if I wanted to."  
"I would expect that from you."

About five hours pass by before group therapy, when Mitch makes Violet put down the book she's reading and attend the session. "...Do I have to?" She asks quietly. "Unfortunately, yeah, you do." The brunet pats her shoulder. "At least I'll be there too, you can awkwardly follow me around if that's your battle plan."

It was a short walk; Mitch knew all the shortcuts in the school. He busted open the doors dramatically, Violet at his heel and closing them behind him with a careful kind of quiet to her actions. _"What's up fuckers!?" Oh, he made his presence known alright._ The few kids that were sitting around in the room all gave him stares that were either saying _Why must you_ or _Constant mood,_ if Violet had to make a guess.

One of the children, a girl with colored braces that gleamed when she smiled, waved to him as if inviting him to sit next to her. He made his way over and Violet decided that following him was better than just awkwardly standing there.

"Hey Mitch, is that your new girlfriend?" The girl had charcoal black hair, a smug grin on her face, and her brown eyes twinkled as curiously as her braces did. Mitch smacked his face in disbelief. He didn't seem impressed by this girl's show of dominance and charm. "No, she's not." He told the girl sternly, who looks a Violet in an analytical kind of way, eyes connecting with hers for a few seconds too long. The blonde teenager feared that this girl already knew everything about her.

The girl Violet had yet to get to know pulled up a second chair, and just as Mitch was gonna sit down in it she kicked her feet up on it, denying him a seat. "Nuh uh, Mitchy-poo. Ladies sit down first, remember?" She clicked a pen in her hand three times, the sound at which the brunet jumped at and glared at her.

"Fuck off, Erin." He grumbled and got himself a seat nearby. The girl, apparently Erin, tapped her foot on the seat of the chair. "It's alright sweetheart, you can sit down." She told Violet with a smile, clicking her pen a few more times. Mitch sat up in the chair he had seated himself in. "Take notes of this, babe. Whenever he's being a douchebag just click one of these babies a bunch and he'll go running for the hills."

Mitch scoffed at that. "She'd never have to do that." He said in defense. Erin shrugged. "Whatever man, save some face if you want." She says, sitting up and extending a hand to Violet. "My name's Erin, though judging by your expression you already knew a lot about me just from first glance. You seem smart."

When Vi's unsteady hand took hers she shook it up and down vigorously, pulling a distressed noise from her. She stopped over-enthusiastically shaking hands once her new friend's body language said she had enough. "So, tell me your name. I'm _curious;_  I'd like to know all about you." Erin says, almost like it was a command, still sometimes clicking the pen she still held when she felt like it. Violet looked scared. Her gaze flickered in Mitch's direction for a second and she pressed her hands together, a lack of words escaping her.

Erin looked like she was already getting attached to this little person who was seemingly part of the fae.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies if this is short, but I wanna celebrate 10 chapters on this so far. I honestly have no idea how long this is gonna be. (I'm placing my money on somewhere around 18-27 chapters)
> 
> I'm just as clueless about the plot as y'all are.
> 
>  
> 
> (Thanks for sticking with me!)


	11. It's Okay To Need A Hug

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Violet attends group therapy session: the sequel

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for not having this out sooner! I was just a tiny bit busy with real life
> 
> This chapter is basically me indulging in Violet having breakdowns and Mitch being a good friend
> 
>  
> 
> Yeah that's all I wanted to say  
> Also it's kinda short my bad

Light and airy slow jazz music played to announce the staff member's arrival. The door opened to reveal somebody about Violet's height, with dyed pink hair in a ponytail and sunglasses that obscured their eyes. Vi couldn't really tell their biological gender at first glance.

"Hello, children." Their deep rumbly voice greeted everyone with a cheery tone. "I'm Kayla. I'll be the supervisor for group therapy today." The staff member, Kayla, took an empty seat and arranged it in front of the group of kids. "Get into a circle and then we can begin today's session." Kayla sat down and waited patiently for the children to do as they directed, still playing slow jazz from the mp3 in their hand.

One by one the kids grumbled and seated themselves in as good of a circle as they could get into. Erin and Mitch sat on either side of Violet, the latter glaring daggers at the former and the former smirking lazily.

Once that was settled Kayla put the mp3 on the stool beside them and took the clipboard instead. "Alright. We're starting with an introduction, since there's now kid McGee in here. Violet Gideon Knight, please step up and greet the circle."

Upon hearing her full name her head shot up, eyes wide with terror. She shot Mitch a look, one that so obviously screamed that she didn't want to be in this situation. The brunet could only nod at her. "You'll be okay." He patted her shoulder and she hesitantly got out of her seat. Violet's already small stature shrunk under the gaze of so many people.

"I, uh... hi. My na-name is Violet... obviously. I-I look forward to making friends... I guess." She stumbled over her words like she was trying to walk without a leg. Mitch felt his chest burst from the urge to keep her protected from the analytical stares she was getting. Kayla's music choice stopped playing and they checked the mp3. A few taps and now old-fashioned country was now playing. "Thank you, Violet. You may sit down now." The blonde teen rushed back to her seat with the bottom of her shirt bunched up in her hands from embarrassment. She was avoiding eye contact out of shame, Mitch guessed.

For the most part the group therapy went pretty well. Nobody had a mental breakdown, nobody tried to fight another student, and nobody got into a big argument about how waffles were just pancakes with abs. Mitch was impressed with the session overall.

On the way back Violet looked a little bummed out about something, her head down. Mitch immediately put a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, are you okay?"

She looked up with an upset expression. "Can we talk about it in the dorms?" She asked. The brunet nodded. "Of course, I'll always talk things out with you if you find it the easiest thing to do." He answered. Violet's shoulders relaxed; he wasn't even aware she had been tense. Her pace sped up and forced Mitch to do the same.

 _"Fuck."_ She slammed the door and pressed her back against it, breathing heavily. Mitch approached her carefully. "I'm listening, Vi." He told her, kneeling down to her level when she slid to the floor in despair. Her face contorted into something akin to agony. "I can't. I... jus-ju-just can't." Violet sputtered, clutching her head. "Shit!" She cursed again, pulling against her hair in a way that had to hurt. Mitch didn't want to touch her and make the situation any worse. "Violet, what's wrong?"

Her head snapped up and she let out this weird noise, unlike anything Mitch had ever heard before. It was almost like an exasperated sigh, but it broke his heart to see Violet look so distressed and witness her make that sort of noise in front of him. It didn't feel right.

"I'm just... I _can't,_ Mitch." She untangles some of her hair from her hands. It was a start. "I can't organize these thoughts." Her eyebrows knit like that was infuriating and the rest of her body curled into herself. "I felt like somebody was trying to peel away at my skin in there. All this prickling and painful sensitivity is a fucking nightmare. And the worst thing is that there's no words in any language that describes it. It's just... needles stabbing into you, I'm guessing." Violet vented, tears welling up at all this. Mitch started to cry with her.

His hesitance in putting his hands over hers was evident. "Vi, I'm so sorry that group therapy didn't go well with you... what would you like to do?" He asked Violet with his thumbs tracing over her knuckles, which were slowly regaining color from her fists being clenched so hard. He tugged her fingers from her hair, wincing at how roughly she had pulled at it. Violet must've been thinking hard about her proposed solution for her silence to go on this long.

"I don't know." She tried to smooth out all the sadness and pain in her face and force a blank slate back into her expression. "I'm sorry I brought this up." Her voice was getting meeker. Mitch squeezed her hands, still so worried about this side that Vi was showing him. "Apologies, I don't like pushing you, but I feel like you do know what you'd like to do, Vi. It's just... you might be scared of something. Right?" He inquired. Violet sighed. "I don't _know."_ She repeated, shoulders sagging like she was defeated. "Fucking society and fucking rules have me fucked up."

Mitch offered a little laugh at that. "That's a lot of cursing, Vi." He told her. She shrugged. "It's true." She replied. "I just... I just want a hug and yet I'm... _shit,_ sorry." Violet bit her lip and avoided eye contact. The brunet fell silent and pulled her into the hug she had mentioned she wanted.

"Hey, it's fine to ask people for hugs. Most chances are they need one too."

Mitch thought Violet might've been crying into his shoulder at those words.

**Author's Note:**

> Yeehaw for making another edgy fanfiction


End file.
